“I am always ready to face those who call me a criminal”

Well-known diaspora leader Oleg Krapivin (Bakinski), who has lived in Ukraine for many years, has been in Baku for some time.

He was interviewed about the topics on the agenda, as well as the effects of the war in Ukraine and the activities of the diaspora.

Let’s note in advance that, Oleg Krapivin was born in 1966 in Shamakhi. He was engaged in business in Baku and later in Ukraine. According to Forbes in 2014 according toKrapivin is the richest man in Ukraine with a fortune of $ 84 million 100 is one of the people. Oleg Krapiv, a professional wrestler, came to the fore as a businessman, philanthropist, diaspora representative, politician, and from time to time as an influential figure in criminal circles. We also talked to him about these issues, as well as the current situation in Ukraine.

– Do you often come to your homeland?

– A stateless person is not a human being. Every time I come to Azerbaijan, I visit my native Shamakhi region. Because we have built a wrestling school there, I am interested every time I go. Health is very important, the children there are our future, they are the soldiers of tomorrow, to him according to they must also have a healthy spirit.

– Your active role in the activities of the diaspora by the order of the President a few days ago according to You were awarded the Order of Friendship.

– It is a great honor for me. Man does not need anything more. Azerbaijanis all over the world are very proud that, we have achieved our dream, our holidays in Shusha, from occupation free We celebrate in our lands. We are founded by the President way will continue and this way we will finish with pride. During the Great Patriotic War, we were waiting for Mr. President’s speech every day. Every time some village and or the city free heard to be done holiday we were doing. His speeches inspired us. I really wanted to be here during the war. We tried to help as much as we could from Ukraine, sending clothes, food and money. I, my family and children are always at the service of Azerbaijan and are ready to go to war for our country.

– What can you say about the work of the Congress of World Azerbaijanis in Shusha?

– Such events are very important. In Shusha, America and I met many Azerbaijanis living in other countries. We will work together and We will raise the head of our state and people in the countries where we live. It is true that there were diaspora organizations before, but there was no work. But now it is completely different. Other nations in other countries also see it on holidays and rallies that, how we manage to come together.

– What can you say about the war in Ukraine? The war probably caught you by surprise…

– Almost no one was waiting for the war. I will never forget that we gathered on February 23 to mark the anniversary of the Khojaly genocide. Our ambassador, the Turkish ambassador to Ukraine, was also present at the event. 40-50 minutes had passed that, A call came to the Turkish ambassador. When he returned shortly after, he told our ambassador that, We need to remove the representatives of our peoples here as soon as possible. On the night of the 23rd and 24th, they began bombing the city. Ours immediately on the morning of the 24th Ukraine I went to the Rada of Azerbaijanis, and we began work on the evacuation of the Azerbaijani population. In the early days, we started taking people by bus and then by train. We sent 1,100 people on the first train and 1,400 people on the second. 50 at the station100 thousand people gathered. It was difficult for us to tell them that, We are sending our people, you do not get on the train. It was not easy to tell this to the panicked population during the war. At that time, with the help of the police, we created corridors to open the way for our people to the trains. Ambassador Gudsi Osmanov closely cooperated with us in all this, supported me, and I thank him. Milli We also evicted the family of the hero Victor Vasilyevich Seryogin from Kharkov. At that time, it was very difficult to enter Kharkov, but he entered the city Milli We took the hero’s mother and his wife out of there and sent them to Moldova – to the teacher in Jerusalem.

– During the evacuation of our citizens in Ukraine, there was a feeling of retail. Some diaspora leaders were invisible.

– You know, not everyone is ready to fight. There are such people that, I can’t talk about them either. Because he is human, he can be that, thinks more of his family, I can’t appreciate them. Everyone makes their own choices in life.

– During the war in Kiev for a long time and You stayed in Irpen, where your house is located. Wasn’t it dangerous?

– As soon as the curfew ended, the children followed me. We took our weapons and went out wearing armored jackets. Mine explosions and bombings are all in front of our eyes snowwas in the bottle. As for our house and property, it has not been damaged so far. I do not know what will happen after that. Once, when I went to Irpen, I was bombed. Park named after Zarifa Aliyeva in that city and There is a school, we went there to inquire about the situation, and we also helped. That day we were heavily bombed and We could not get out of Irpen.

– As far as we know according to A few years ago, you joined politics in Ukraine and ran for president. He is there today political how is the relationship

– There is no politics there today. If there was politics, if there was the right policy, this war would not happen. Millions of families broke up and millions left the country. I think Ukraine will have a very serious personnel problem in the future. Many young people who have left the country will not return. It is also unknown how many people died and how long it will last. How many friends and acquaintances I have, I haven’t heard from them for weeks. The fate of thousands of people is unknown.

– How much material damage did the war inflict on you?

– The war seriously damaged me and my partners. Earlier, the pandemic caused problems in our work. But we did not let the workers go, I can say roughly that, to me 10-15 million dollars damaged. Our main projects have stopped. We were building a villa complex in Kiev, we wanted to build a base school there, we laid its foundation, but it all stopped. However, I am not affected by material loss, but by human loss.

– In addition to being a businessman, you are always presented as an influential figure in criminal circles. What can you say in this regard?

– I do not understand, what do people say criminal? If someone speaks, if he has a reputation as an elder, is he called a criminal? If it is a crime, I have not committed a crime. If I had committed a crime, I would not be able to sit here with you. I have never considered myself a criminal. If someone came and said that he had been wronged, asked him to help him, to take part in the conversation, if I intervened as an adult, it is not a crime. A criminal is someone who deceives someone, hits someone, and does not return anything from someone. But I did not do such things. It is not right to defame someone with a criminal word. It is difficult to gain respect, it helps thousands of people, and when they do not do it to someone, they sometimes present it differently, which is not true. Honestly, if you say the truth and If someone doesn’t like it, I’m always ready to face those who call me a criminal, according to that person. that, let them prove to me what is criminal.

I have never demanded money from anyone. I said that, To whom you owe, take it and return it to that person. There are such people that, they call it a crime. If you see that someone does not return someone’s money, I say give that person the right. Then they say go that, Teacher Oleg demands money from us. I don’t need anyone’s money. I have always spent my money. I have always supported our compatriots. Why don’t they call me a criminal when Ukraine supports Parviz Nasibov, who won a silver medal at the Olympics? And Or don’t they call me a criminal when I pay teachers in schools and support homeless children? I understand that you can’t always be good for everyone. But I do what I know is right, I try to keep the path of truth.

I have been an honored coach of Azerbaijan since 1996. President I have been awarded several times by. Will the state reward the criminal? How many athletes have I trained, I have trained with Namig Abduallayev and Khazar Isayev. Every year we hold an international tournament on Solidarity Day. Organizing a competition with the participation of up to 500 athletes, staying, feeding, awarding athletes… How much money was used for this? If I were a criminal, I would divert my money. But I always wanted to support young people, to develop sports, especially wrestling. I was able to do it, and I did it.

– Especially in the CIS Ukraine and Azerbaijani criminal authorities involved in the management of markets in Russia, especially Rovshan “Lankaranski” and After Lotu Gul’s death, isn’t there a lack of leadership in this area? Because the markets of many Azerbaijanis in Ukraine are the markets.

– The leader must be in all areas, everywhere. There are such issues, such unanswered conversations that, an influential person should come and say his word and position there. When I created a diaspora organization, I gathered our compatriots who work in the markets, as well as in other fields, and told them. that, what a challenge snowTell me if you’re bored. For 3-4 years there were bad moments. People everywhere need to trust someone. It was like that that, there was a problem with the police. For example, in recent days, when I was in Shusha, 3-4 people applied to me that, a relative of the so-and-so and or someone else was arrested in Ukraine. I don’t know what happened, why he was arrested, but I’m still curious and trying to do something. As for the markets, there are always trade disputes in the markets.

If you are a strong man, what does it mean not to give money to the weak ?! She according to there should always be influential people, they should say when necessary that, be kind, let no one be jealous of one another. Who has the money to help the nation, to open schools, to support athletes. I helped 2-3 people and became a scientist. Then, when I saw them, I said, why don’t you help your compatriots now? You asked for it when you needed it, now you have taken your place, and you have to support those who come from below. Sometimes people don’t like it when people tell the truth. (Qafqazinfo)